Schedule a burial for a veteran or family member | veterans affairs

GATHER THE INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS YOU’LL NEED TO IDENTIFY THE DECEASED WHEN YOU CALL THE NATIONAL CEMETERY SCHEDULING OFFICE You’ll need the DD214 or other discharge documents of the

Veteran or service member whose military service will be used to determine eligibility for burial in a VA national cemetery. Their discharge from service needs to have been under conditions

other than dishonorable. We may also need other documents to verify a relationship to a Veteran or the status of a dependent. These may include a death certificate, letters from your doctor,

a divorce decree, a statement from the Social Security Administration, or other documents to support your claim. Find out which discharge documents we accept along with your application

Find out how to request the Veteran’s DD214 Use this checklist before you call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office (PDF) If you can’t find these documents, please ask for our help when

you call. It may take us several days to check eligibility if you don’t have discharge documents. NOTE: Discharge documents aren’t usually needed for scheduling when a Veteran or eligible

dependent is already interred in a national cemetery. YOU’LL ALSO NEED THIS INFORMATION ABOUT THE DECEASED: * Name * Gender * Social Security number or Military Service number (Veteran ID) *

Date of birth * Relationship to the service member or Veteran whose military service will be used to decide eligibility * Marital status * Date of death (and zip code and county at the time

of death) YOU’LL NEED THIS INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEXT OF KIN (THE CLOSEST LIVING RELATIVE OF THE DECEASED): * Name * Relationship to the deceased * Social Security number * Phone number *

Address YOU MAY ALSO NEED MORE INFORMATION IN CERTAIN CASES: * IF THE PERSON WAS MARRIED, you’ll also need the surviving spouse’s status as Veteran, service member, or family member. * IF

THE PERSON HAS ANY CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, you’ll need the status and detailed information for any disabled children who may be buried in the future in a national cemetery. * IF THE

PERSON’S SPOUSE PASSED AWAY PREVIOUSLY AND WAS BURIED IN A VA NATIONAL CEMETERY, you’ll need the full name of the spouse as well as the cemetery section and site number where they’re buried.